Kishke (Stuffed Derma)
Submitted by awake21
Traditional kishke (stuffed derma) with beef liver, rice, ground beef, and coriander in natural casing, simmered low and slow in beef stock until tender.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsKishke is old-world cooking at its most honest. Beef intestine casing stuffed with a savory mixture of charred liver, raw rice, ground beef, and fresh coriander, then gently poached in a rich beef stock until everything melds together into something deeply satisfying.
This version is closer to the Bukharian and Central Asian tradition, with rice as the base and coriander for freshness. The liver gets charred first (the koshering step), then cubed small so it distributes evenly through the stuffing. Don’t pack the casing too tight. That raw rice needs room to swell as it absorbs the stock during cooking, and an overstuffed casing will burst.
The cooking liquid does double duty. Celery, onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns turn that beef stock into a clean, aromatic soup you serve alongside the sliced kishke. Two courses from one pot.
Pro Tips
- Leave room in the casing. Rice expands significantly. Stuff loosely, about two-thirds full, or the casing will split during simmering.
- Keep the heat low. A gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, keeps the casing intact and cooks the filling evenly. If the water is bubbling hard, turn it down.
- Char the liver properly. It should have visible char marks and be cooked through before cubing. This step is essential for both flavor and koshering.
- Use veal stock if you can find it. The recipe suggests it for good reason. Veal stock has more body and a cleaner flavor than standard beef stock.
Variations
- Skip the lung. It’s listed as optional and most home cooks leave it out. The liver and ground beef provide plenty of richness on their own.
- Vegetarian-style kishke: Some modern versions replace the organ meats with matzo meal, onion, and schmaltz stuffed in parchment paper instead of casing.
Ingredients
Directions
- Char the liver over charcoal or under a gas or electric broiler to kosher.
Cut the liver into ¼ inch cubes.
If used, boil the lung in water for ½ hour.
Cool and cut into ¼ inch cubes.
- In a large bowl, mix together well the liver, lung (optional),
Sew up one end of the intestine (derma) and stuff -- not too tightly since the rice will expand.
Sew up the opening.
- On the bottom of a large pan, put the celery, onion, bay leaves, Pour in the clear beef stock. Bring to a boil over moderate heat and add the stuffed casting. Half-cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 45 minutes or more, until the skin is tender. Serve the kishke warm, sliced. Remove the bay leaves and serve the clear soup separately.
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